Congratulations to Galileo company Nominal Systems researcher Co-founders Christoper Capon and Brenton Smith on winning their A$1.5M United Kingdom Defence Contract.

Nominal will provide a customised deployment of their unique digital twinning platform to support the UK Space Common design and test their future missions.

This contract represents a significant win for the Australian space industry and makes Nominal one of Australia’s leading space system design tools providers.

Nominal Systems will be partnering with UK-based space situational awareness specialist Northern Space and Security (NORSS) to develop a spacecraft and missions simulator solution, ARTSIM, for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Built on Nominal System’s innovative digital twinning platform, ARTSIM will fast-track the UK MoD’s space programs.

Blending the internet-of-things, the cloud, and advanced simulation, Nominal’s unique design approach enables the design and testing of complex systems faster, while providing an integrated training environment to allow operators to explore a wide range of scenarios rapidly.

“We’re delighted to be working with the Nominal team on this project providing significant capabilities to the newly formed [United Kingdom] Space Command and excited about the additional benefits our partnership will create.” - NORSS founder and executive director Ralph Dinsley on collaborating with Nominal.

This comes as governments around the world are directing more attention to safeguarding our skies as space becomes more congested and the risk of in-orbit collisions grows.

Nominal’s partnership with NORSS is just the start. From autonomous satellites to constellation management tools, Nominal is partnering with companies worldwide to build the systems and support infrastructure required to manage space traffic sustainably in the future.

Nominal’s team is growing and actively recruiting eight additional staff, from software developers and systems engineers to business development professionals and media/marketing specialists.

We recently quizzed the Nominal founders about the importance of the contract on the Australian Space Industry and the future of Nominal. Read on below:

How did the partnership with Northern Space and Security (NORSS)  develop?

“[NORSS] is a leading provider of space situational awareness in the United Kingdom - they provide the advice and expertise that helps prevent collisions in orbit and keep the skies safe.

Our mission at Nominal is to provide the tools that simplify space, so stakeholders have confidence in their systems, missions, and services. Our shared missions and complementary strengths made partnering on this opportunity a natural match.” - Co-founder, CEO, Dr. Christopher Capon.

What impact do you believe this contract will have on the Australian Space Industry?

“The reason we’re talking about an Australian space industry is because the way missions are designed, tested, launched, and operated has fundamentally changed over the last decade.

These changes have created new opportunities along with new challenges. This contract demonstrates that Australian companies can innovate, approach these complex problems in new ways and deliver value to sophisticated customers.” - Co-founder, CEO, Dr. Christopher Capon.

“We’re really proud of being Australian-owned and using Australian technology. We’re really looking to invest in R&D within Australia and keep improving that product.

The Australian Department of Defence, like many defence organisations, has recognised the value of digital twinning. We’re always in conversation with stakeholders within the Department of Defence in Australia and overseas. We’re always trying to see where we can add value to their operations to help protect the sovereignty of Australia.” - Co-founder & CTO Brenton Smith.

What does this contract mean to Nominal Systems?

“We’re extremely proud to be partnering with NORSS to deliver this important capability to the UK Ministry of Defence. This contract represents is an inflection point for Nominal, helping build a broader, global awareness of what Australia can offer to the global space industry. - Co-founder, CEO, Dr. Christopher Capon.

What's the vision for Nominal?

“We founded Nominal with a simple mission - make rocket science simple so every mission can succeed. At Nominal, we believe there is a simulation behind every component, system and service.

Our unique technology makes it easy for any organization to rapidly add their simulations and hardware into a full-scale digital world so that our users can quickly understand how they would use it to improve their missions.” - Co-founder, CEO, Dr. Christopher Capon.

How has Galileo supported you along the way?

“As a founder, you often wear many hats - you’re the technical team, customer services, marketing and sales, the list goes on. It’s hard. As technical founders that, while we’re good at building amazing technology, we have a lot to learn about building a business.

The Galileo team helps us fill those gaps, bringing in experts to support us when we need advice or an extra pair of hands. The community of Galileo founders lets us reach out to people going through the same experience as us. To get advice, bounce ideas off, or simply vent.  We love Galileo.” - Co-founder, CEO, Dr. Christopher Capon.

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